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Best small dog
 

[Closed] Best small dog

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Recommendations for a small family dog, great with kids & country walks - border terrier?


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:12 pm
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Staffy. The rescue places are full of them.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:15 pm
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Something that doesn't have small dog syndrome. And preferably not annoying, yappy, jumpy, aggressive, poorly trained or fit in a handbag

I like big dogs!

I think the smallest I could go would be a beagle or spaniel. Need lots of exercise though


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:18 pm
 iolo
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Staffy +1
Go to a rescue center. Meet a few.
Gorgeous things if you get a well treated one.
Edit: Whippet for choice number 2.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:19 pm
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Staffy +1
Go to a rescue center. Meet a few.
Gorgeous things if you get a well treated one.

Most of them are there because they're soft puffs. Ideal!
Or a Border.
Both will play all day with the kids instead of ignoring them ,going off to run round in circles like a spaniel would.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:29 pm
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Male Patterdale.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:32 pm
 iolo
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Most staffys are rescued because some idiot got it as it's cool for their kids for christmas. They grow, need exercising feeding and vet bills. The idiots don't understand this so let them go into the street.
They end up in rescue centers.
My mum got her Sophie from [url= http://www.freshfieldsrescue.org.uk/ ]here[/url] who checked her temperament. She's absolutely lovely.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:35 pm
 iolo
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http://www.freshfieldsrescue.org.uk/animals/detail/tia8

As an example


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:36 pm
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One which bags its own crap and carries it home for disposal.

Failing that a Jack Russell.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:36 pm
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got molly the snauzer in sept shes fab, great house dog doesnt smell well behaved likes a walk cheap to insure cheap to feed whats not to like.. love her..


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:41 pm
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+ 1 for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier I see them going all the time at the rescue places but my wife thinks 2 large dogs is enough for us. If it were up to me I'd have one in a heartbeat, great little dogs and amazing with kids.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:54 pm
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Bedlington whippet lurcher, small, fast and love sleeping.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 5:55 pm
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Whippet.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 6:00 pm
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My favourite "what dog?" comment: "I want a dog that's small enough to be in the house, but big enough to be a dog" - Overheard in a bar in Canada.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 6:01 pm
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+1 for rescue staffie, so many need homes and I meet many happy new owners.

We had a rescue dachsund pup last, literally chucked into the street and dodging cars. She was loyal, engaging, funny, well mannered and loved the outdoors, lived to 14.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 6:01 pm
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One of those that sits on the parcel shelf and nods its head.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 6:06 pm
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I was out for a walk on Friday with my 2-year-old daughter on my shoulders. A woman came along with 2 little dogs and my daughter pointed and shouted "SQUIRREL"

I laughed.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 6:18 pm
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French Bulldog


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 6:57 pm
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Jack Russell

you will never have a dull day and great with kids and very loyal


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:04 pm
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Miniature Schnauzer.

Mate of mine has two Giant Schnauzers; the biggest one ("Wordsworth") is about the size of a Shetland pony. Fabulous temperament though and full of character, if the miniatures are the same (I've no idea) then they'd be a good choice.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:05 pm
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French Bulldog

You serious?


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:10 pm
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Border terrier no contest, I got 4 kids small they love him & he tolerates anything they do. Just back from a week in lakes took him over grizedale pike Causey pike cat bells etc & on Sunday he did 40k with me on the bike in epping forest, believe the hype they will go all day no problem & have wonderful temperament. He recently dispatched of 10 small vermin invaders in the house & even the cat loves him.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:16 pm
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I generally don't like small dogs - mainly because of the yapping - but our neighbours have a mini Schnauzer which is a cool little dog, friendly and doesn't make any noise.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:18 pm
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I was very taken with a Boston Terrier I met recently, bags of character. Love Cockerpoos but more medium sized really. Can't go wrong with a Border Terrier, great dogs.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:22 pm
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Nothing yappy.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 7:42 pm
 iolo
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Riding 40k with a small dog is quite silly.
Please don't tell me you do that regularly.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:14 pm
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Wordsworth is a great name for a dog it's from Jamie and the magic torch IIRC, proper nostalga.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:14 pm
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"....border terrier dogs were mainly bred for hunting foxes they possess incredible speed and endurance, in fact they were chosen for hunting because they were able to run among the horses that their masters would ride. The speed and endurance of a border terrier dogs also enabled it to not only hunt foxes but also larger game such as wild boar, also for other faster game like rabbits, flightless birds and even be used in duck hunts..."

as it says all day no problem it what they are bred for


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:44 pm
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Another vote for a border terrier. Our two have been great.
They aren't yappy or snappy like a lot of terriers, and happy to run all day as much as sleep all day.

Lol at the Patterdale suggestion. The real Tyson of the terrier family.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:48 pm
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Riding 40k with any dog is daft. As for what they were bred for in the past is irrelevant. Foxes, rabbits and wild boar etc dont run 40km.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:50 pm
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I've got 2 border terriers, and 2 young kids. One dog, and both kids are terrors, but other dog is soft as anything. Sleeps most of the time, won't leave the house if it's raining, and keeps the unwanted wildlife out of the garden.

The other dog has bitten me, mrs TG, and the kids, and really not sure why we still have him.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:50 pm
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The other dog has bitten me, mrs TG, and the kids, and really not sure why we still have him.

Quote of the week! 😆


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 8:51 pm
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I've got a Scottie crossed with a westie, he is great happy to run a 5k, like hugs, very gentle, doesn't yap and was easy to train. People say he looks like a cairn terrier. Fiancée wanted a smaller dog I wanted a bigger one so he was kind of a compromise and I am so glad we got him.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 9:02 pm
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Jake obviously thought 40k wasn't enough coz when he came in he went straight into a game of football with my eldest 12yr old lad and won


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 9:03 pm
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Your lad must be shit at football.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 9:05 pm
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'Oh sorry about that he's got small dog syndrome'.... 'thats okay my dogs got well behaved syndrome'!

Staffies are lovely dogs, border terriers are hardy small dogs, got the terrier nature though. Dont under estimate the tenacity of a terrier, whether thats good or bad depends on your situation and your family!


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 9:10 pm
 iolo
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40k dog at bike speed means joint problems and heart problems in time.
Good luck doggie.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 9:38 pm
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"....border terrier dogs were mainly bred for hunting foxes they possess incredible speed and endurance, in fact they were chosen for hunting because they were able to run among the horses that their masters would ride. The speed and endurance of a border terrier dogs also enabled it to not only hunt foxes but also larger game such as wild boar, also for other faster game like rabbits, flightless birds and even be used in duck hunts..."

as it says all day no problem it what they are bred for

That was 100years ago when they were regarded as disposable. If a dog looked a bit ropey after a day's run it got the bullet.
Since then they've been softened up a fair bit by kennel club ideal standards.
Not doubting the dog's capable of that distance, but at cycling pace it certainly won't do him any good. Do you regard him as disposable?


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 9:58 pm
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I'm a bit worried about posting as I don't want to argue, but I have two Borders & I must say I'm not enamoured with them.
The fit one had it's first experience with me out on the bike yesterday (I've had him 4+ years & he has always been up for a longer than 12 mile walk but I didn't want to push him whilst his pads were young) but we "only" covered about 12 miles with a substantial break at half way (lunch & two pints), I had to keep stopping to make sure he was OK & on occasion just force feed him water because I was worried he may dehydrate.
Also their hair is a pain & the fit one defiantly has the terrier attitude so is a bastard with other dogs.
HTH


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 10:19 pm
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Our Cavapoo 🙂 is quality with our children,
has a super temperament and doesn't leave fur everywhere..
Perfect except the breeds name


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 10:30 pm
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Colgi!

Good luck finding one, we think ours is an accident. He was a rescue dog. He's fab.

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4085/5005512381_6dbbc9b30b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4085/5005512381_6dbbc9b30b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/judeyp/5005512381/ ]DSC_05810021[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/judeyp/ ]judeyt78[/url], on Flickr


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 10:54 pm
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Disposable ? Not sure what you mean but he's a pet dog not one of my kids. 100 years ago again not sure what that means particularly as the breed was only established about that time. He's a dog that has had generations of specific breeding to capable of running all day with a pack of hounds & horses, hence the term 'incredible endurance' Also pretty sure it's been substantially less than 100 years since fox hunting was banned & ohe came from a working family that was used to run alongside quad bikes round acres of fields.
He runs he hunts & damn he even swims across lakes anything different would be wrong in my eyes.

He does smell though

@2unfittoride I built him up over time to get to this point starting him when he was v.young with just 10mins etc. I met a fell runner who had taken his over marathon distance & he said 10 - 20mins for ever month of age.


 
Posted : 22/04/2014 10:58 pm
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Wordsworth is a great name for a dog it's from Jamie and the magic torch IIRC, proper nostalga.

Knowing his owners, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if that's exactly why my mate came up with the name, and his wife is blissfully unaware and thinks he's named after the poet.


 
Posted : 23/04/2014 12:20 am
 iolo
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Carbonfiend, When did you last come accross a working hunting dog over 5 years old that runs along quads all day long.
Of course doggie loves to chase daddy but will not stop. It twists its leg it will keep running. Spinal issues will ensue. The vet bill will be too much as you need a new crankset so you tell your son his little dog ran away during a bike ride (euthanasia) and your son will be staring out of his bedroom window waiting for the loveable super terrier to return.
I hope you will feel proud.


 
Posted : 23/04/2014 12:38 am
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